Editor's note: Every NFL team is preparing to attack its offseason to-do list, with free agency set to open March 12 and the draft April 25-27. This is the 19th of 32 reports in 32 days by Sporting News NFL correspondents, who will analyze the offseason game plan for each team. Tuesday: Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

TALENT OVERVIEW

The Saints need to make drastic improvements on defense. They’ve already started making dramatic changes by bringing in new coordinator Rob Ryan and switching to a 3-4 scheme. More than anything, they need to find some dynamic playmakers in their front seven. But they could use help at just about every position after allowing the most yards in NFL history last year. They’ll likely have some big holes to fill if they release veteran leaders end Will Smith and linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

New Orleans’ needs aren’t as abundant on offense. However, the left tackle position will rank as their No. 1 offseason priority since starter Jermon Bushrod is an unrestricted free agent. They’ll try to retain him, or find a replacement who can start right away.

The Saints will be severely restricted by the salary cap. They’re still roughly $15 million over the cap, though there are more moves they can make with restructures and releases.

KEY DEPARTURES

The best news for the Saints is they have only two starters scheduled to be unrestricted free agents. They’ll likely try to keep Bushrod, but they’ll almost certainly let defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis leave.

The tougher decisions are with guys currently on the roster. Smith and Vilma will likely be released unless they agree to take dramatic pay cuts -- which is a possibility they will at least discuss. There’s an outside chance they could consider doing the same with safety Roman Harper, linebacker David Hawthorne or tailback Pierre Thomas, among others, depending on how much cap space they want to clear.

They’ve already released veteran backup tight end David Thomas and young cornerback Johnny Patrick in smaller moves.

NEEDS/TARGETS

1. Left tackle. This will be a simple solution if the Saints re-sign Bushrod, who has been their starter the past four years and a Pro Bowl selection the last two. Chances are, they’ll be able to afford him. As solid as Bushrod has been for the pass-happy Saints, there seems to be an opinion around the league that he is somewhat a product of their system and Drew Brees. That’s why he only commanded a two-year, $10 million deal when he was a free agent in 2011. But if one or two teams are willing to pay big bucks for him, the Saints might not be able to win a bidding war.

If the Saints lose Bushrod, they could look for a similarly experienced player in free agency (like they did last year when they signed Ben Grubbs to replace Carl Nicks). Guys like Kansas City’s Branden Albert or the New York Giants’ William Beatty are in a similar class and may cost even more than Bushrod. After that, guys would be less dependable.

The Saints could also sign a part-time starter and make left tackle a top draft priority. There could be a worthy left tackle available with their 15th pick in the draft (Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher, Oklahoma’s Lane Johnson and Alabama’s D.J. Fluker are possibilities). But with no second-round pick, they’d hate to get locked into a need.

2. Outside linebacker. The Saints have been lacking a dynamic, disruptive pass rusher for years. If they could find an edge rusher that opposing offenses have to worry about, then the rest of their complementary defensive talent would look better.

The name generating the most buzz right now is Cowboys free agent Anthony Spencer, who thrived under Ryan last year with 11 sacks and a Pro Bowl appearance. But he would obviously come with a steep price tag. It might be worth it for the Saints, who obviously aren’t standing pat on defense. But finances are an issue for them.

The same problem could keep them out of the market for fellow free agent pass rushers like Cincinnati’s Michael Johnson, Baltimore’s Paul Kruger and Houston’s Connor Barwin. If they dig into the next tier, they could look at younger backups like Dallas’ Victor Butler or aging veterans like San Diego’s Shaun Phillips.

Either way, they should make this position a top priority in the draft, because it’s so hard to find premier pass rushers in free agency or later in the draft. There should be some intriguing options available with that 15th pick, including some from the group of LSU’s Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery, BYU’s Ezekiel Ansah and Oregon’s Dion Jordan.

3. Defensive line. The Saints could look to add bodies at either defensive end or defensive tackle as their new line remains a work in progress. They feel great about one of their ends -- emerging third-year pro Cameron Jordan. And they’ll probably feel good about using veteran Brodrick Bunkley at nose tackle, though they might want to add a bigger body in a situational role.

Second-year pro Akiem Hicks and fellow young backup Tom Johnson could potentially play both spots. Will Smith could fit as a 3-4 end if he stays with the team, though that remains a major question mark.

The Saints have a variety of free agent options they could pursue. They could spend decent money on an emerging young player like San Francisco’s Ricky Jean-Francois or a proven veteran like Miami’s Randy Starks, Chicago’s Israel Idonije or the Giants’ Chris Canty, among several others.

Or they could look to the draft, where a number of defensive tackles and 3-4 ends are projected to go in Round 1, including Utah’s Star Lotulelei, Missouri’s Sheldon Richardson, Florida’s Sharrif Floyd and Ohio State’s Johnathan Hankins.

4. Inside linebacker. The Saints are set at one spot with veteran middle linebacker Curtis Lofton. The other spot could be filled by David Hawthorne or Chris Chamberlain. There remains a slight chance Vilma could stay with the team, as well. Regardless, the Saints have room to upgrade and add depth here just like everywhere else on their defense.

Baltimore’s emerging linebacker Dannell Ellerbe would come with a big price tag. And LSU’s Kevin Minter and Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o are first-round draft possibilities. More likely the Saints would look for rotational help in free agency or depth in the middle of the draft.

5. Secondary. This position is a wild card for the Saints. They don’t have any glaring holes with all four starters and most of the key backups still on the roster. But they could certainly look to upgrade after such a disappointing performance across the board in 2012.

It wouldn’t be shocking to see them replace someone like Harper or cornerback Patrick Robinson if they feel like they could get good value on a free agent upgrade (someone like Houston safety Glover Quin or Baltimore corner Cary Williams, among several other candidates young and old).

Most likely, the Saints will save their money for some of the other more pressing needs. But no option will be off the table since they need such an extreme makeover on defense for this year and beyond.

TRIPLETT’S TAKE

Obviously the Saints will be limited by their salary-cap issues this offseason. Chances are, they’ll find a way to make some aggressive moves to improve their defense. For one thing, that’s been their m.o. in recent years as they’ve kept an “all in” mentality to try and win now while Brees and their offense are in their primes.

For another thing, Coach Sean Payton has obviously shown that he plans to be aggressive this offseason, having fired defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and announced plans to switch defensive schemes just days after his suspension ended.

Even if the Saints can just create a small spark on defense and get back to being a middle-of-the-road unit, they should get right back to being bona fide Super Bowl contenders. They were an elite team just two seasons ago—before the bounty scandal helped interrupt their momentum. Brees and the offense are still tremendous, and now they’ve got a motivated Payton back at the helm.